We didn’t exactly rush down the the landing at the crack of dawn today. It was blowing a gale and eight degrees and it seemed much more sensible to go to work for a while. But by ten the sun was high and the temps were into the low double digits with a moderate SW breeze. We don’t often have this wind here, so the sailing dynamics were a bit different. Working our way through the narrows to the south end, into Deep Cove, and then down the river nearly to Damariscotta Mills was a bit dodgy. But the wind held and we were able to sail deep enough to get home without pushing. There are no pressure ridges and no open water: the whole lake is as tight as a wind whipped flag. There are bumps and windrows, and a nasty sheet of shell ice in the SW corner of the main broads. There is a green fish house there, and the shell extends a couple of hundred feet toward the center of the lake.

Bill Bunting set his new sail today and went like smoke. Lee Spiller and Karin snapped the Gambit mast after a short morning sail, but they had a few DN’s along so wasted no time in setting them up. Scott the Guy, Ben Fuller and Wolfie rounded out the fleet. We sailed until sundown, left boats on the ice, and will be back tomorrow. Lee and Karin will be on Jordan Bay, so if that’s more in your neighborhood, please join them.

The ice is like this between snow bumps, which really don’t bother much. I felt no need to slow down because of them, especially as I had to work hard to keep up with Bunting!

The ice is on the move, and with 8-12″ out there we’ll be seeing pressure ridges shortly. At 10:30am this was a smooth, flush ramp. The ice heaved up nearly a foot in five hours.

Come get it while you can!